SleepTalk
by Magawa
Summary: This is the companion piece to SleepWalk. And of course Sano gets to overhear some of the adorably ridiculous things Mizuki says in her sleep.


A.N.: Well, I wanted a companion piece for SleepWalk, so here it is. Christy, Angie, Rieko and Lindsay have all told me that I do various things in my sleep. I used to sleepwalk a lot but I think I've grown out of that now. Angie and Rieko told me I sing in my sleep (although I think Rieko is a dirty liar who absolutely made that up). Angie says I throw temper tantrums and accuse her of things she didn't do while I sleep (and it's a pity she's not a dirty liar). She also tells me I'm never to watch "Days of Our Lives" before I go to sleep ever again. We think that's what caused me to yell at her so much that one time...

Disclaimer: Disclaimed.

SleepTalk

By Magawa

It had been one of those long days that, at the end of it, you are grateful to be able to just lie down and relax and forget all about the events that made up the day. After last night who wouldn't be on edge all the next day? She'd unconsciously stripped right in front of him and it was difficult to meet her eyes without thinking about her the way he had seen her last night.

Her image seemed burned to his retinas and he wondered how much more of her unintentional torture he could take. It seemed no matter where he went, which way he turned or how desperately he avoided her she was always somewhere close by. Whether by conscious choice or unconscious, he always seemed to seek her out. And it was almost as if she seemed to do the same.

Sano shook his head decisively. No. There was no use thinking that she could possibly harbor the same kind of feelings such as the ones he had for her. He honestly cared for her and always wanted her to be near him. But was it too much for her to realize, however miraculously, that he didn't care at all that she was lying about her true gender? Really it was almost an insult to his intelligence that she didn't think he would have figured it out by now. The more he thought about it the more indignant he became. How stupid must she think me?

Mizuki bounced into view dispelling any negative thoughts toward he had against the girl. She hopped up and down in front of him trying to capture his attention, talking a million miles an hour in a way that only women are really capable of. Hiding a grin Sano looked up at her smiling face. There was really no way that she actually thought he was stupid. She was just so astoundingly oblivious about some things that she didn't even realize what a terrible boy she truly made.

He let her idle chatter and general enthusiasm wash over him, knowing that sometime soon her sugar-induced energy would leave her slumped anywhere but in her own bed.

And yet, those were some of his favorite moments with her. She really trusted him – enough so that she was comfortable falling asleep in his presence. Besides that, when asleep she said some of the most interesting and Mizuki-crazy things… holding her as he placed her safely into her own bed didn't hurt things either. Sort of made him feel protective and strong and … something else. Strong and light-headed maybe? Like he'd been drinking sake but was somehow still able to remember everything he did and said…

Poking her gently on the nose stilled her chattering. Finally able to get a word in edgewise he asked innocently, knowing the answer, "So are you ready for our Classical Japanese exam tomorrow?"

Mizuki looked shocked at first as she remembered the horrible nuisance known by the feared name of 'exam.' Then she got that stubborn determined look on her face that Sano loved and hated. It was as if every time she was that resolved to do something, it never worked out for him personally. Come to think of it, things didn't work out that great for her either… Like Makita or modeling or well… it wasn't worth thinking about.

"I can't believe I forgot about that stupid exam!" Mizuki exclaimed. "I'm definitely going to have to stay up all night to do it but I'll ace that exam tomorrow if it kills me!"

She looked so determined and triumphant that he didn't have the heart to tell her that: 1.) she'd never be able to stay up all night studying (personally he hadn't thought she would have lasted this long without dropping off to sleep) and 2.) even if she somehow did stay awake, she'd never wake up in time for the exam in the morning (without his help).

Sano grunted slightly as he lifted himself from his seated position. "Well good luck with that. I'm going to go shower."

"Okay!" Mizuki called out cheerily. "I'll be right here studying. I'll probably have six chapters done by the time you're finished, you slowpoke," she added teasingly.

Sano smiled before closing the door, "I'm sure you will."

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It was truly amazing how right he was about her. He'd only just finished showering and here she was asleep already.

She was sound asleep at her desk with her head tucked adorably into the crook of her elbow to block out the light. Prodding her slightly only caused her to curl closer and mumble incoherently.

Carefully reaching over her Sano snapped off her desk lamp leaving only the overhead and the lamp at his bedside on.

Flipping the overhead off made her raise her head and blink sleepy owlish eyes at him before mumbling something about cuddling a test. Smiling at her silliness, Sano lifted her slightly out of the chair to encourage her to stand. However, that didn't quite work according to plan as it only seemed to encourage her to place her arms around his neck and breathe his name into his ear.

Bending his knees just slightly allowed him to pick her up and he wondered again at how hopeless fragile she was no matter how tough and stubborn her demeanor. She was so slight, so very precious… Hugging her close to his chest he turned to walk over to their bunks. Just as he was about to raise her to her own bed she began to talk. Her words were slurred and staccato but he managed to catch each one.

"don' wanna go da bed…" she mumbled.

"Oh?" Sano asked, amused again at her innocent child-like behavior. "Why not? You're sleepy aren't you?"

Sano had found during past conversations that she wouldn't even wake up if he talked normally. But to change his speech patterns in any way seemed to wake her. Well, almost anything could wake her… a different pitch or tone of voice, the sound of the "menacing" grasshopper, someone shouting in the hall…

"wan… wanna stay wiv you…" Mizuki mumbled hugging his neck tighter.

"Why on earth would you want to stay with me?" Sano asked. He was almost curiously desperate to know. What did she see in him? Was it really only that he was a good high-jumper? Or was there really something more there?

"baka… love you. Always loved you…"

Feeling his legs go suddenly weak, Sano sat on the edge of his bed with Mizuki still cradled in his lap. She loved him. No matter what she said while conscious, the subconscious couldn't lie. And she loved him.

"Mizuki-chan, what…" he faltered, "what would you do if I said that I loved you too?"

"Happy eva afta…" Mizuki sighed.

Sano smiled. "Mizuki-chan, I know you're a girl…"

"'course Ima girl… but you can't know dat …" her forehead furrowed thoughtfully, wrinkling a line between her brows.

"Ah but what if I did know?" Sano asked gently, afraid that at any moment she'd either wake up or just stop talking. "Mizuki-chan, what would you do then?"

"'pends on how mad you is at me…"

"You know I could never be made at you."

"Pwomise?" She sighed turning her head into his neck as if to hide her face.

"I promise." Wrapping his arms even more securely about her slim frame he held her tight. "Everything's going to work out just fine then…" He faltered slightly as Mizuki nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck pressing her lips to his skin in an unconscious caress.

"And when you're ready to tell me all about it… I'll be right here…" he murmured softly stroking her hair. "I'll wait patiently… just for you."

Kissing her forehead gently, Sano placed her in his own bed. Pulling up the covers around them both he whispered "and don't worry about that test. I'd be really upset if it killed you."

Mizuki grinned a little in her sleep.

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A.N.: I'm not super-thrilled at how this turned out. It seems a little choppy to me. Of course I haven't written anything in, oh, six months... So please be kind to me and instead of flaming me about how you thought I'd died, please just say things like, "Oh Mia-chan this wasn't THAT bad... It only sucked twice as much as usual and if you did this (fill-in-the-blank) your story would be so much better!" Or maybe this would be okay: "Loved it Mia-chan. Loved it. But next time, lay off the crack before you start writing. I think it would really improve your (circle one: plot/brain activity/weight loss plan/imagery)" Yeah. Any of those would probably work great. Or you know... Whatever you want to say... as long as it's from the heart, right?

Would 7 reviews be too much to ask for? I'll give you a kitten if you do... :)

Magawa 09/11/2006


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